Apparatus for maintaining a vertical well bore while drilling



0, 1965 L. w. STORM 3,199,615

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A VERTICAL WELL BORE WHILE DRILLING Filed March 18, 1963 i 1 20c ZZU- A Ayn/7 l V. J'zorm l I N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3 199,615 APPARATUg FOR MAINTAENENG A VERTRCAL WELL EGR'E WHERE DRELHNG Lynn W. Storm, 2%(9 Bowman Road, Austin, Tex. Filed Mar. 13, 1%3, Ser. No. 265,941 5 Ciairns. (Cl. 175'73) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well tools, and particularly an anti-drift tool for assisting in the maintaining of well holes vertically during the drilling thereof.

in past well drilling operations, much time, effort and expense have been lost in trying to drill a vertical hole. Since most drilling contracts or specifications specify the maximum angle of drift from the vertical which is permitted for the particular well being drilled, the d'riliing of a hole vertically is often very important.

Furthermore, when the drift angle of the well hole varies throughout its length, conditions are produced which increase friction between the wall of the hole and the drill pipe. It is quite common for such variations from vertical to produce key-seating, or restrictions in the well hole, which is the largest single source of well trouble, being directly responsible for stuck drill pipe and expensive fishing jobs. Therefore, even in the absence of a contract or specifications as to the permissible drift angles for the well, it is very desirable to drill the hole vertically throughout its length to avoid such key-seating and its resulting trouble and expense.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved well tool for assisting in maintaining well holes vertically during the drilling thereof.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved anti-drift tool which is adapted to assist the drill collars in a drilling string in maintaining the drilling of the well hole vertically.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved well tool utilizing the drilling fluid in a drillin string for constantly maintaining or urging the drill bit to a position for drilling a vertical hole.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved well tool adapted to utilize a jet fluid stream for constantly maintaining or urging a drill bit on a drill string to a position for drilling a vertical hole.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a new and improved anti-drift collar having a pivot-ally suspended jet nozzle for discharging a jet stream so as t maintain or urge drill collars in a drill string vertical for thereby assisting in maintaining a drill bit on the drill string in a position for drilling a vertical well hole.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide a new and improved anti-drift collar having a pivotally mounted nozzle adapted to swing in response to the force of gravity so as to constantly remain in a vertical or substantially vertical position, and also having an outer tubular body with a restriction therein through which fluid from the nozzle is adapted to pass when such body is vertically aligned with said nozzle, such nozzle directing a timid stream therefrom against the interior of the outer tubular body when such body is not vertically aligned to urge same back into vertical alignment.

The preferred embodiment of this invention will be described hereinafter, together with other features thereof, and additional objects will become evident from such description.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and where- FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the anti-drift tool of this invention with the parts thereof in the preferred 3,l%,l5 Patented Aug. to, 1955 ice operating position for the drilling of a vertical hole; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing another position of the tool of this invention to indicate the manner in which the tool maintains itself and the drill bit in vertical alignment during drilling.

In the drawings, the letter A designates generally the well tool or anti-drift collar of this invention. In its preferred embodiment, the tool A is adapted to be connected in a drill string, preferably below a drill collar or collars, the lower end of one of such collars being indicated at B in FIG. 1. The lower end of the tool A is normally connected to a bit shank S of a drill bit (not shown) when the tool of this invention is used in drilling operations. Briefly, the tool or anti-drift collar A of this invention provides for the flow of drilling mud or fluid therethrough from the drill pipe or drill collars thereabove to the drill bit therebelow. The well fluid or mud thus passing through the tool or collar A is converted into a jet fluid stream which is discharged from a nozzle member 1 so as to normally flow through a restriction 12 when the nozzle member 10 and an outer tubular body or housing 14 are in alignment with each other. The nozzle member It) is suspended for pivotal movement in response to the force of gravity acting thereon so that it assumes a vertical, or substantially vertical, position at all times. Thus, in the event the drill string tends to move out of vertical alignment, the outer tubular body 14 is likewise caused to move out of vertical alignment. However, the nozzle member 10 remains in vertical alignment as shown in FIG. 2 so as to direct its jet fluid stream against an interior surface 16 of the body 14 for urging the body 14 towards a vertical position as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2. Thus, the tool or anti-drift collar of this invention tends to constantly maintain or urge the drill collars and the drill bit in a vertical or substantially vertical position so that a vertical hole is drilled with little or no drift from the vertical.

Considering now the invention more in detail, the outer tubular body or housing'14 is provided with an enlarged bore 14a and with upper internal threads 14b. The bore 1411 forms a chamber 140, with the top of such chamber being defined by a connector sub 26 having external threads 243a. in threaded engagement with the internal threads 1412 of the body 14. The nozzle member 10 is adapted to pivot within such chamber 140, as will be more evident hereinafter.

The adapter sub 2% may be formed in numerous ways, but as shown in FIG. 1, such adapter sub 20 has a longitudinal opening 26b tberethrough with internal threads Ztlc at the lower end of such opening Zilb. The longitudinal opening Zi'ib is enlarged at the upper portion as indicated at Ztle, and tool joint threads 2nd are preferably formed internally of the sub 20 for connecting same to the lower end B of a drill collar or a drill pipe in the dril string.

The nozzle member 15 is pivotally connected to the connector sub 20, preferably by means of a ball a d socket construction such as shown in the drawings which includes a ball 22 and a socket 24. The ball 22 is formed with a threaded external portion 22a which is in threaded engagement with the internal threads 2491: in the connector sub 2%. A longitudinal openin 22b is disposed centrally through the ball 22 for the dew of drilling mud or fluid from the drill string through the connector sub opening 20b and into the nozzle member 10. The socket 24 is provided so that there is a minimum of friction with the ball 22.. Such socket 24 has an inner curved surface 24a which conforms with the outer curvature of the hall 22 to permit such relatively frictionless movement between the socket 24 and the ball 22. The lower end of the socket 24 is threaded at 241) to external threads lt a of the nozzle member 19.

The nozzle member is thus freely suspended on the ball 22 for pivotal movement within the chamber 140 and relative to the outer tubular body 14. Such nozzle member 10 has a nozzle formed by a reduced nozzle opening 1015 at its lower discharge end for the discharging of the well fluid or drilling mud in a fluid stream with a jetting force or action.

The lower end of the nozzle member 10 is disposed above the restriction or throat 12 in the tubular body 14, so that when the nozzle 10 and the body 14 are in alignment with each. other, the jet fluid stream discharged from the nozzle opening 10b is directed through the restriction or throat 12. A constant force is thus exerted to maintain such nozzle 10 and the body 14 in alignment with each other.

Within the body 14, the surface 16 serves as a means for receiving the force of the jet stream from the nozzle 10 in the event the nozzle 10 and the body 14 get out of alignment with each other. Such surface 16 is preferably substantially conical or tapered as shown in the drawings although any other suitable configuration which is adapted to be contacted by the jet fluid stream from the nozzle 10 may be used so long as the contacting force of the fluid stream serves to move the tubular member 14 back towards a vertical alignment position as shown in FIG. 1.

The fluid stream from the nozzle 10 passes through the throat or restriction 12 and is discharged into the usual passages internally of the shank S of the drill bit and the discharge openings of the drill bit itself which are well known.

In the use of the Well tool or anti-drift collar A of this invention for the drilling of a well hole, the tool or collar A is connected immediately above the drill bit as shown in P16. 1 and below the drill collars. It will be understood that the tool A of this invention may be connected in the drill string at other locations, but such location is preferred. The usual circulating drilling mud or fluid is circulated down through the drill string and the drill collars so that it passes through the nozzle means 10 and is discharged therefrom with a jet fluid stream passing through the restriction 12. In the ordinary construction of this invention, the cross-sectional area of the restriction or throat 12 is slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the jet fluid stream discharged from the nozzle means 10.. Thus, as long as the center lines of the jet stream from the nozzle 16 and the throat or restriction 12 are coincident, the jet stream exerts no lateral force on the tubular body 14.

The nozzle means 10 is freely suspended so that it hangs vertically at all times due to the force of gravity acting thereon, even though the tubular body 14 may tend to move away from such vertical position. Thus, should the body 14 tend to move away from the vertical position in alignment with the nozzle member 10, the jet stream from the nozzle 10 is then directed against the deflecting surface 16 so as to exert a lateral force on the body 14. For example, if the body 14 has shifted with respect to the nozzle 10 as indicated in FIG. 2, the jet fluid stream acts on the right-hand portion of the surface 16 to urge the body 14 to the right and return it to the vertical position. Normally, the fluid stream will act promptly so as to prevent the shifting to any substantial extent of the tubular body 14, but should any substantial shifting of the body 14 with respect to the nozzle member 10 occur, the lateral force by the fluid stream will continue to be exerted until the body 14 has returned to the vertical position shown in FIG. 1. Thus, with the force of the fluid stream constantly acting to urge or maintain the body 14 in a vertical or substantially vertical position, the drill collars and the drill bit connected thereto are likewise constantly urged or maintained in the position for drilling a vertical hole.

In the normal use of the tool or collar A, it is desirable, and in some instances necessary, to use a centralizer or stabilizer of conventi nal -Construction (not shown) just above or near the upper end of the tool A in order to minimize any tendency for the pipe to wobble or gyrate above the tool A; in that manner, the nozzle member 19 will tend to rotate about a stabilized central longitudinal axis so as to avoid any excessive whipping or gyratory motion thereof.

Although this invention has been described in particular with respect to a drilling use, it will be understood that other uses of this invention may be employed wherein it is desired to maintain a vertical alignment or an alignment between several parts which are movable with respect to each other.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-drift tool adapted to assist in maintaining the drilling of a well hole vertically, comprising:

(a) a tubular body adapted to be connected in a drill string,

(b) nozzle means having a longitudinal passage therethrough and mounted in said tubular body for directing a fluid stream in said tubular body,

(c) pivotal connector means for mounting said nozzle means for pivotal movement in response to gravity to maintain'the fluid stream therefrom vertically or substantially vertically,

(d) said connector means having a passage therethrough communicating the interior of the drill string above said connector means with said passage in the nozzle means for directing flow from the drill string through the nozzle means, and

(e) means in said tubular body adapted to be contacted by the fluid stream discharging from said nozzle means when said tubular body is out of vertical alignment to urge same back towards vertical alignment.

2. An anti-drift tool adapted to assist in maintaining the drilling of a well hole vertically, comprising:

(a) a tubular body adapted to be connected in a drill string,

(b) nozzle means having a longitudinal passage therethrough and mounted in said tubular body for directing a fluid stream into said tubular body,

(0) pivotal connector means for mounting said nozzle means for pivotal movement in response to gravity to maintain the fluid stream therefrom vertically or substantially vertically,

(d) said connector means having a passage therethrough communicating the interior of the drill string above said connector means with said passage in the nozzle means for directing flow from the drill string through the nozzle means, and

(e) said tubular body having a deflecting surface adapted to be contacted by the fluid stream discharging from said nozzle means when said tubular body moves out of vertical alignment for urging same towards such alignment.

3. An anti-drift tool adapted to assist in maintaining the drilling of a well hole vertically, comprising:

(a) a tubular body adapted to be connected in a drill string,

(b) a connector sub at the upper end of said tubular body having a longitudinal opening therethrough of reduced size as compared to the bore of said tubular body,

(c) nozzle means mounted in said tubular body and having an inner longitudinal passage therethrough in communication with said longitudinal opening for directing fluid under pressure from the drill string through said inner passage,

(d) pivotal connector means mounting said nozzle means for pivotal movement relative to said tubular body, said connector means having a passage therethrough communicating the interior of the drill string above said connector means with said passage in the nozzle means for directing flow from the drill string through the nozzle means, and

(e) means in said tubular body adapted to be contacted by the fluid stream discharged from said nozzle means when said tubular body and said nozzle means are out of alignment with each other.

4. An anti-drift tool adapted to assist in maintaining the drilling of a well hole vertically, comprising:

(a) a tubular body adapted to be connected in a drill string,

(b) nozzle means having a longitudinal passage therethrough and mounted in said tubular body for directing -a fluid stream into said tubular body,

(0) pivotal connector means for mounting said nozzle means in said body for pivotal movement in response to gravity to maintain the fluid stream therefrom vertically or substantially vertically,

(d) said connector means having a passage therethrough communicating the interior of the drill string above said connector means with said passage in the nozzle means,

(e) said pivotal connector means including closure means for closing flow through said tubular body except for the flow through said nozzle means, and

(f) means in said tubular body adapted to be contacted by the fluid stream discharging from said nozzle means when said tubular body is out of vertical alignment to urge same back towards vertical alignment.

5. An anti-drift tool adapted to assist in maintaining the drilling of a well hole vertically, comprising:

(a) a tubular body adapted to be connected in a drill string,

(b) nozzle means having a longitudinal passage therethrough and mounted in said tubular body for directing a fluid stream in said tubular body,

(c) ball and socket connector means at the upper end of said nozzle means for suspending said nozzle means for pivotal movement in response to gravity to maintain the fluid stream therefrom vertically or substantially vertically,

(d) said connector means having a passage therethrough communicating the interior of the drill string above said connector means with said passage in the nozzle means for directing the flow from the drill string through the nozzle means, and

(e) means in said tubular body adapted to be contacted by the fluid stream discharging from said nozzle means when said tubular body is out of vertical alignment to urge same back towards vertical alignment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,075,064 3/37 Schumacher et a1 l-231 2,153,680 4/39 Schumacher et a1. -231 2,167,194 7/39 Anderson 175--73 2,424,897 7/47 Orshansky.

2,829,864 4/58 Knapp 175--61 X 2,837,314 6/58 Pickard 17561 X 3,063,663 11/62 Rickards 6035.55 X

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ANTI-DRIFT TOO ADAPTED TO ASSIST IN MAINTAINING THE DRILLING OF A WELL HOLE VERTICALLY, COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR BODY ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED IN A DRILL STRING, (B) NOZZLE MEANS HAVING A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND MOUNTED IN SAID TUBULAR BODY FOR DIRECTING A FLUID STREAM IN SAID TUBULAR BODY, 